


The Passenger

by Idahl



Category: The Silmarillion and other histories of Middle-Earth - J. R. R. Tolkien
Genre: Fix-It of Sorts, Númenor, mention of Sauron/Tar-Mairon, sons of feanor - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-04-26
Updated: 2016-04-26
Packaged: 2018-06-04 15:37:24
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 873
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6664423
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Idahl/pseuds/Idahl
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Two teleri sailors have been tasked to sail a mysterious passenger to the west.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Passenger

**Author's Note:**

> This is a fic I posted on my tumblr some time ago.   
> It is connected to the AU where Celebrimbor is reborn in Numenor under the care of Tar-Mairon.

Telar and Telmar looked ahead and saw a lonely figure standing at the dock. A dark man in a large cloak. The man looked impatient and kept looking around him, as if he expected to see someone. He was dirty and ragged to look upon… and somewhat abnormally large.

“Is that him?” - asked Telar confused. He had expected the usual passenger: more clean and suitable for Valinor. Not… that.

“They did say that this guy was different. His leaving was more urgent. Perhaps he did not have time to take a bath… and get decently dressed” - Telmar said with a smile, hiding a laugh. The ship got into the harbour and they took a closer look at their strange passenger. They could not see his face since it was concealed by his cloak. 

“You wish to go into the west?” - Telmar finally asked.

“No” - The man answered coldly - “I am not your passenger”.

Telmar looked at his brother, to see if he had any idea what was going on. But he found no answer, only an even more surprised look. When he looked back at the man he could understand his brother’s surprise. The man had removed his cloak to reveal what was hidden underneath it. A child.

“He is” - the man then said. Telar now got a closer look at the man’s face, and with disgust he recognised the second son of Feanor at last.

“You..! You’re still alive?” - he hissed. Maglor showed no reaction to his words nor tone of voice. He only turned to Telmar and told once more that the child was their passenger and that he had to leave for Valinor immediately. Telmar hesitated, not knowing what to make of the situation.

“We usually don’t sail with children. The journey is long. Where are his parents?… or are you…?”

Maglor, clearly annoyed with the two sailors, urgently requested that they take the child now or be responsible for his ruin.

“I don’t have time to explain to you the circumstances, but know that his life is threatened by Sauron himself, and his only hope is to go into the west! Now take him, and go! Do your duty or throw him in the sea, for even such a death would be a merciful one, compared to the torments awaiting him if you do nothing!”

The two sailors stunned at Maglor’s words, gestured to the child to come aboard the ship. As Telmar lend him his hand, he noticed something on the boy. Dried blood. A closer look and it was evident that the child was covered in it. He looked at Maglor, who met his eyes with a determent gaze. Telmar nodded. He understood.

“What about you? Will you go into the west as well?” - Telar asked out of curiosity and not out of concern. It was clear that none of the brothers wished to sail with a son of Feanor. Maglor said nothing for a while as if he was contemplating his choices. Finally he looked at the boy, and to the sailors’ terror, called him by his name:

“Celebrimbor… when you get there, go to Este. She will help you get better. And find the woman called Nerdanel. She will take care of you and show you true kindness. She will answer all the questions your heart holds. Please, tell her… no, say nothing of me. Spare her that burden. Be safe, and when you see the white shores, be as if you are reborn again.” 

Maglor smiled with sadness and comfort. His eyes deep with thoughts. Celebrimbor ran to him and leaned forward to give him something.

“Here! Take this. Tar-Mairon did not want it, since it had too many flaws.. but it is the best of my works!”

in his small blood stained hand he held a ring. Simple and pure in its design.

Maglor reached up and gladly took it. He looked at it, and it seemed to Telar that he saw a glimpse of… something… a change in Maglor’s deep eyes. What it was, he couldn’t tell. The ring was small, but maglor’s fingers were long and thin, so he managed to put it on. He thanked Celebrimbor with a kiss on the top of the boy’s head. The child shivered at the gesture, and Maglor quickly moved back. He seemed sorry to have caused such a reaction. Telar wondered at what the child had endured to be frightened of caress. Maglor said his goodbyes and turned to walk away. Celebrimbor looked at him with an expression that was hard to read. He said to himself, so softly and yet so coldly, as if it was the unquestionable truth:

“He will burn… They all burn in the end”

As they left the harbour, Telar yelled at the top of his lungs to Maglor, who was looking on from a distance:

“Son of Feanor! Seek the high ground! Oceans will rise and mountains fall for the wrath of Eru Illuvatar will not be merciful! Go as far from the sea as you can! The servants of Morgoth will fall!”

The last they saw of the strange man in the dark cloak, was a raised scar-burned hand, sending them a wish of safe travel.


End file.
